title: Comparison of mesiodistal tooth widths in Caucasian, African and Japanese individuals with Brazilian ancestry and normal occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the presence of sexual dimorphism and compare the mesiodistal width of the teeth in Caucasian, African and Japanese individuals with Brazilian ancestry not orthodontically treated and with normal occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred pairs of dental casts were used. It was measured, from first molar to first molar in both arches, the teeth's mesiodistal widths, using a digital caliper. For the statistical analysis of results Kolmogorov-Smirnov, t test, ANOVA and Tukey's test (p < 0.05) were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sexual dimorphism occurred on the three evaluated groups, and the highest mesiodistal widths were found in males. There was statistically significant difference between racial groups in all evaluated teeth in males. However, in females, this same difference was found only on upper lateral incisor and first molar; and lower lateral incisor, canine, first premolar and first molar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of mesiodistal measures present particular characteristics in relation to gender, with higher values for males, and to race, with a tendency for African to present greater mesiodistal distance of the teeth, followed by Japanese and Caucasians, respectively, important for the correct diagnosis and orthodontic planning.
authors.forename: Thais Maria Freire
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sathler
authors.forename: Gabriela Letícia
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Natalício
authors.forename: José Fernando Castanha
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinzan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D044466:Asian People; D044383:Black People; D001938:Brazil; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D003765:Models, Dental; D009811:Odontometry; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Balanced dental occlusion; Orthodontics; Tooth